Comestible and process for preparing same



' 15 product and tending to modify the characterishave been obtainedthrough the incorporation of 15 vide a proeessfor thepreparationofcomestibles the invention may bepracticed, the following 50 :sserslsteps andthe relation and order-of nf-solutionthus obtainedisnowsubiectedtocon- Patented s- 0, Q 2,089,217

' Euros Cyril Hanila, P. I. No thawing. 29 1934,

. reinsurance 2 p '5' (Cl. 9-184) a The invention relates to. foodproducts and to more or such steps with respect to each of the a processtor their preparation. vMore particothers, and the product the features;.ularly it relates to 'comestibleswhich contain as properties, and therelation of constituents, which an ingredient-a carbohydrate of a gummycharare exemplified in the following detailed discloacta, and includescorrelated improvements and sure, and the scope of the invention will beindi- 5 eries whereby the desirable qualities of cated in the claims.cornestible sumtances are enhanced. In the practice 01 the invention afood prod- It has been a practice heretofore in the prepuotor comestiblemay be prepared in accordance oration of a variety of comestiblesubstance'sor with the usual procedures, including a sugar if '10 foodproducts which are bmd upon the utilinadesired, and characterized by theincorporation 10 tion ofasuganascane sugar, to include therewiththerewith, either during or subsequent to prep- 8 smaller'or largerquantity of corn syrup ororation, of a suitable quantity of thecarbohyglucose. Such additions have been made for drate dextran whichisof a gummy character. the purposeof by lowering the cost 01' the Thecomestibles witlnwhich satisfactory results tics, particularly thetendencyto crystalllzahon. dextrsn ther with include c ndi s, syrup prOonsidcrable controversy has attended the use serves, Jelly desserts,canned fruits, and the like. of glucose and it is only within recentyears that In fact, the dextran is a desirable constituent a cry d hasbecome available and for use in the production of all foodstufls inwhich has been utilized in the preparation of foodstuffs there is asugar content. The dextran may be 20 without objections arising theretolike unto those P p d by known .methods from the sugar presentedpertaining to the inclusion of glucose, juices, syrups or molasses,derived from the beet, 'ihe addition of these auxiliary materials isatcane, or o her'susar produoinl PlBnts 8 tended by certaindisadvantages. such as im-dencharine su stances etc. d e inc ati n in;of a candy when employed in its manufa'cthereof with the otheringredients of the comesti- 25 ture due to lack of ability to retainmoisture, ble may be either in dry term or in solution, or ration of sw,and of the inherent as a paste. It is a complex gum having acomcharacteristies due to the presence of sucrose or position corres ndn to h mp l rm cane sugar. (CsHioOOn formed by the action ofmicro-organ- An object of the invention is to provide e eisms, forexample, leuconostcc mesenteroides, tible substances in whichdisadvantages present bsc eri mpedicaiatum e 1 saccharine matter- .inprevious products are obviated. The form or condition of the dextran atthe a. further object ofthe invention is to rovide time of itsincorporation wflLd -pend-upo the a comestible of improved; keepingqugufleg d comestible substance to which it is to be added 7 moistureretentivity. the time during the preparation of such co- An additionalobject of the invention i tomestible that it is deemed suitable to makethe providea comestible which comprises on ngi addition. Thus, in theproduction of a candy in which crystallization is prevented by thepreaor a fondant the dextran may be admixed with once of a carbohydrateof a dummy character the sugar content prior to its solution, which 40which is aproduct derivable from sumis followed by evaporation andsetting into the '40 V V A still further object of the invention in toprofondant condition. .The quantity of dextran emvide a comestible ofimproved qualities containgl li d will depend pon h P r l r haracingdextran whlchmay be readily, eflectively and teristios desired in thefinished product, espeeconomically produced commercially. as to theextent to which the crystallizaas A more speciile obiect ofrtheinvention is to to b n been found tprovide candies, Jellies, preserves,canned fruits sa isfa to y s s ins s ne al wa may e atand the likecontaining dextran as an intalned through the use of! to40% based uponsredient. I v the solid content of the comestible.

' A particular object of the invention is to pro- As' illustrativeexamples of a manner in which which'lncludes the incorporation ofdeltran. descriptions sre'presented. A cane su ar up Other-objects ofthe invention will in part be may be prepared by dissolvingdo parts ofcane obvious and will in part hereinafter. .sugar in 40 ofwater; .Inorder to facili- The invention accordingly comprises aev- .tate thesolution the watermay be heated. The

2 centration, preferably under vacuum by indirect heat. To the solutionas initially prepared, or during a desired stage of the concentrationthere may be added 20 parts of dextran syrup. The dextran dissolvesreadily in the sugar solution and by continuing the concentration toabout 87 Brix there is obtained a syrup having the sweetness and othercharacteristics of a cane sugar syrup, but improved in thatcrystallization does not take place even after very extended periods oftime.

The preparation of candies which consist essentially of a sugar, as'cane. sugar, and which contain dextran as an ingredient in a minorproportion may be accomplished by preparing the sugar material, as canesugar, crystallized dextrose and suitable admixtures thereof,- in theusual manner and condition as, for example, dissolving the sugar inwater, concentrating to the desired water content and allowingcrystallization to take place with constant agitation so as to form asmooth mass during the preparation of which there is incorporated aminor proportion of dextran. The dextran may be introduced during thepreparation of the initial sugar solution, or during the final stage,when the formation of a smooth fondant body is taking place.

sugar without modification of the inherent qualities of the fruit.

In accordance with the foregoing procedures there are preparedcomestible substances which are characterized by having a content of apure sugar product inasmuch as the dextran which is added thereto isprepared directly from cane sugar without the use of chemical agents.The products obtained, in addition to absence of the formation ofcrystal sugars, possess also the qualities of retaining moistnessthereby preventing drying out and hardening, and the body of thecomestible is improved without any detraction from the usual sweetness,flavor and appear ance. It will be realized, more particularly whencandies are prepared, that the dextran may be an ingredient of the wholecandy, or it may be present only in the covering or only in the filling.The preferred procedure is to incorporate the dextran in the fillingmaterial which then may be surrounded by any of the usual and desiredcoatings, for example, a chocolate coating.

The marketing of the dextran may be effected satisfactorily in the formof syrups having a varying dextran content .determined by the particulartrade in which the dextran is to be used. Thus, one syrup would beprepared suitable for table use, cooldng, and certain classes of candymaking, whereas another which would be substantially colorless andfiavorless would be especially suitable for soft drink manufacturers,especially those in remote localities, and also for fruit flavor,extract production, and by canning companies,- while still another syrupcharacterized by having a rather high dextran content would beparticularly desirable for shipment into sections in which cane sugar isrelatively inexpensive.

As indicated above, not only does the incorporation of dextran enhancethe desirable qualities of candles, but also of jellies, desserts of ajelly 5 character, preserves, canned fruits, cane sugar syrups, chewinggum and the like. The utilization of. dextran in the various comestiblesubstances gives a product which is of a pure sugar type and obviatesthe necessity for the use of 10 glucose or corn syrup. It will beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the particularcomestibles set forth in the foregoing examples, nor to the definiteproportions set forth therein, inasmuch as not only a single comestiblebut an admixture of comestible substances may be prepared in which thedextran content may be varied according to the extent to which it isdesired to change the character or type of the product. The quantity ofdextran employed is dependent upon the qualities to be imparted.Especially it may be present in an amount from 5% to 20%, and-morespecifically and preferably from 5% to 10%.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process, and certainmodifications in the composition which embody the invention may be madewithout departing from its scope, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope oi the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A process which comprises preparing a comestible having a solidcontent consisting preponderatingly of sugar and incorporating dextrantherewith during its preparation, said dextran being present in anamount suillcient to increase the moisture retentivity of thecomestible, to improve the body thereof with maintenance of sweetness,fiavor and appearance, and to inhibit crystallization of the sugar.

2. A process which comprises preparing a cane sugar syrup in which thesolid content consists l0 vtentivity of the comestible, to improve thebody thereof with maintenance'of sweetness, flavor and appearance, andto inhibit crystallization ll of the sugar.

4. As a composition of matter a comestible in which the solid contentconsists preponderatingly of sugar and containing dextran in an amountsufficient to increase the moisture retentivity 70 of the comestible, toimprove the body thereof with maintenance of sweetness, flavor andappearance, and to inhibit crystallization of the sugar.

5. As a composition of matter a syrup of which (8 the solid contentconsists preponderatingiy oi sugar and containing dextran as aningredient in an amount of from 5 to 20% based on the sugar contentwhereby the moisture retentivity of the syrup is increased. the bodythereof improved with maintenance of sweetness, flavor and appearance,and crystallization of the sugar inhibited.

6. As a composition 01' matter a candy con- 10 vmining cane sugaras themajor ingredient and dextran in an amount suiiicient to increase the Imoisture retentivity oi the comestible, to improve the body thereof withmaintenance, of sweetness, flavor and appearance, and to inhibitcrystallization of the sugar.

7. As a composition of matter a chewing gum containing cane sugar as thepreponderating sugar and dextran in an amount sufiicient to increase themoisture retentivity' of the composition, to. improve the body thereofwith maintenance of sweetness, flavor and appearance, and

to inhibit crystallization of the sugar.

JAMES CYRIL IMAHONEY.

